Scottish Executive

Children With Special Needs

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-832 by Peter Peacock on 23 June 2003, what proportion of the education budget for 2004-05 has been allocated to children with any form of special needs.

Peter Peacock: Funds are distributed to local authorities through Grant Aided Expenditure (GAE). In 2004-05, the GAE for Education is £3,808 million. This figure includes £256 million for provision for special educational needs. However, a number of Programmes within Education GAE also help support children with special educational needs. For example, £25 million is being allocated through the Inclusion Programme to support pupils in mainstream schools. A further £21 million is being provided for the Alternatives to Exclusion Programme and to implement the Discipline Task Group recommendations. The Integrated Community Schools Programme totals £21.5 million to help promote social inclusion and the raising of educational standards.

  The GAE for Education does not represent a budget or spending target, but forms part of a more complex formula used to calculate the total revenue grant figure. It is for individual local authorities to determine how much they allocate to each service, including special educational needs, from their total unhypothecated revenue grant. Revenue grant will increase by 4.8% in 2004-05, with further above inflation increase planned for 2005-06.

  There are also a number of other Executive funding programmes for local authorities, which support, although not exclusively, children with special educational needs. For example, in 2004-05, the Changing Children’s Services Fund totals £60.5 million and will support better integration of services for children and young people.

  An additional £12 million will also be made available in 2004-05 to support preparation for the implementation of the Additional Support for Learning Bill.

Children and Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People , what steps it will take to ensure that (a) comprehensive assessments are made of the physical, mental and developmental well-being of all young people and children at the earliest opportunity after entry into the care system, (b) background information and previous medical records on children are easily accessible, (c) written health records move with young people throughout their period in care together with a proactive healthcare plan and (d) a dedicated post is created for a health professional to access different health systems.

Euan Robson: The report, Forgotten Children, is an NHS Lothian report based on studies of looked after children in Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian. Those authorities will find it a useful source of information on what is happening on the ground in their areas.

  In relation to action on the issues covered in this question, guidance issued by the Executive on The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 – volume 2, Children Looked After by Local Authorities states that care plans for looked after children should fully reflect health care needs. Local authorities are required to arrange for a medical examination to provide a comprehensive health profile of the child and to give a basis for monitoring the child’s development for the period they are looked after.

Children and Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People , what steps will be taken to introduce (a) dedicated educational assessments and support for looked after children, (b) prioritised mental health services for looked after children and (c) guidelines on the production, and use, of clear confidentiality agreements for each individual within the care system.

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People , what steps will be taken in respect of the recommendation that child and adolescent mental health services should develop dedicated practitioners or teams with an expertise in managing the mental health needs of looked after children.

Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the guidance on the Children (Scotland) Act 1995 states that the care plan should set out the educational and wider developmental needs of the child being looked after. Local authorities should provide educational and developmental opportunities and support and promote potential and achievement.

  The Scottish Executive is currently working with its expert advisory Child Health Support Group to secure improvement in children and young people’s mental health and in Child and Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH) services, through implementation of the Scottish Needs Assessment Programme (SNAP) Report on Child and Adolescent Mental Health, published last year. It is anticipated that this work will improve the capacity of specialist CAMH services to provide a more effective service for looked after children and young people. A key element is the development of a "template" which will describe the essential elements of a comprehensive CAMH service. It will include services for vulnerable children and young people, such as those who are looked after, and is expected to be published in the autumn of 2004. However, decisions about local health service provision are ultimately a matter for each NHS board.

  The Scottish Executive published a revised NHS Code of Practice on Protecting Patient Confidentiality in July 2003 and issued guidance in August on The Use of Personal Health Information in NHSScotland to Support Patient Care. Guidance on sharing information and confidentiality is also provided in Getting our Priorities Right, published in February 2003.

Children and Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People , what steps will be taken to ensure parity of access to health care, screening, preventative services and immunisation courses for looked after children with children not in care.

Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the guidance on the Children (Scotland) Act 1995, Children Looked After by Local Authorities states that children being looked after should have the same access to NHS provision and school health services as other children. When drawing up the care plan local authorities should ensure that the child is provided with adequate health care, including any necessary medical, psychiatric, psychological, dental or ophthalmic attention and any necessary immunisations.

Children and Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People , what steps will be taken to introduce guidelines for good practice between care staff and GP surgeries to (a) create closer working links between residential care staff and staff at the local GP surgery, (b) ensure full registration of young people with the allied GP surgery by 12 weeks into placement, (c) guarantee closer working links between allied GP surgeries and the Practitioner Services Division for the central collation and fast tracking of GP notes and (d) create closer working links between allied GP surgeries and community child health departments, in particular with the nurse for looked after children.

Euan Robson: Volume 2 of the guidance on The Children (Scotland) Act 1995 states that children must be registered with a GP and dental practioner once they become looked after. As part of their care planning local authorities will want to ensure that they are closely involved with the GP surgery and that the health needs of the child are being met.

  The PARTNERS programme, which has been rolled out to virtually all GP practices in Scotland, allows faster and more accurate registration of patients with GP practices. Patient records are currently transferred between GP practices via the Common Services Agency and fast track arrangements are in place where records are required urgently. Work is ongoing to develop and implement programmes to link GP practices and the Practitioner Services Division electronically, in order to support the electronic exchange of records.

  The Scottish Executive has no current plans to introduce specific good practice guidance to create closer working links between allied GP surgeries and community health departments. However, draft statutory guidance was published on 8th March for consultation on the establishment of Community Health Partnerships (CHPs) under the NHS Reform (Scotland) Bill. NHS boards will be expected to discuss and agree with local authority and other stakeholders the services which each CHP will manage and/or co-ordinate. However, the draft statutory guidance states that CHPs should directly manage and provide, or have a lead role in co-ordinating, influencing or directing the delivery of services to support vulnerable groups of children and young children including those looked after by the local authority. The statutory guidance will be finalised once the NHS Reform (Scotland) Bill is enacted.

Children and Young People

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Forgotten Children, Addressing the Health Issues of Looked After Children and Young People , whether the specific needs of looked after children and young people in care will be considered in the preparation of the sexual health strategy.

Euan Robson: The draft Sexual Health and Relationships Strategy which has been the subject of an extensive consultation process specifically draws attention to the needs of children who are looked after, including the importance of sexual relationships education, access to services, and adequate training for those who care for them. The views received from the consultation in this respect will be reflected in the final strategy.

Community Care

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures are in place to ensure that Asian people with dementia have access to appropriate care and support packages that reflect their beliefs and culture.

Malcolm Chisholm: Under the Executive's Carers Strategy, which was launched in November 1999, resources to local authorities to support carers have risen from £5 million a year in 1999-2000 to £21 million a year in 2003-04. The Carers Strategy specifically states that local authorities should consult local carers and key stakeholders on spending decisions for these resources. The strategy also goes on to state that in providing services authorities must take into account the needs and priorities of carers from black and minority ethnic groups, in accordance with their statutory obligations under the Race Relations Act 1976.

  The Executive has also funded the Minority Ethnic Carers of Older People Project, based in Edinburgh, to develop a culturally sensitive assessment instrument for users and carers. This instrument is now available and the Executive is currently funding the instrument’s promotion at a national level. Training of key staff in statutory agencies is already underway.

Community Care

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what research it has commissioned into dementia care for members of Asian communities.

Malcolm Chisholm: Alison Bowes and Heather Wilkinson (Stirling University) received a grant from the Chief Scientist Office in 2002 to carry out a feasibility study to establish effective ways of ascertaining the views of older South Asian people with dementia, their families and carers, and to explore central issues of service support.

  The study concluded that South Asian communities lack knowledge and experience of dementia and access to appropriate services, especially at home and highlighted the need to develop responsive services, to address issues of diagnosis and to learn from existing expertise.

  The researchers suggested that future research could usefully cover dementia experiences and awareness in minority communities, and the identification and evaluation of good practice experience on a wider front.

Community Care

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether specific guidelines in respect of cultural norms are in place for carers who assist Asian people with dementia.

Malcolm Chisholm: No specified guidelines are in place. However I expect all staff and all agencies to consider the whole person needs in designing care and support that, wherever possible, respects and responds to cultural and religious beliefs.

Community Care

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether specific guidelines in respect of cultural norms are in place for carers who assist people from ethnic minority groups with dementia.

Malcolm Chisholm: No specified guidelines are in place. However I expect all staff and all agencies to consider the whole person needs in designing care and support that, wherever possible, respects and responds to cultural and religious beliefs.

Courts

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many applications for the enforcement of a child contact order were submitted in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003, stating the outcome of such applications.

Cathy Jamieson: The Scottish Executive does not collate centrally information on the number of applications for enforcement for child contact orders.

Culture

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what strategy is being implemented to meet the First Minister’s commitment to place culture at the heart of its agenda.

Mr Frank McAveety: Action is already taking place to implement the First Minister’s vision for culture in Scotland, as stated in his 2003 St Andrew’s Day Lecture. I am engaging with ministerial colleagues to discuss how different parts of the Executive and its agencies can contribute positively to this vision. A new focus is required by all who make cultural provision in Scotland.

  The First Minister also announced that a review of culture would be launched, as promised in our partnership agreement. I look forward to announcing arrangements for the review in the coming weeks.

Culture

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will measure the success of its strategy to meet the First Minister's commitment to place culture at the heart of its agenda.

Mr Frank McAveety: Targets will be set in the context of the 2004 Spending Review.

Economy

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the advantages are of using the "chain-linked" method to calculate gross domestic product in comparison with former methods used.

Mr Jim Wallace: Benefits of the new methodology include:

  1. Annual weights are more up-to-date and therefore more relevant, reflecting changes in the structure of the economy when they happen.

  2. Rebasing revisions will occur to a much lesser extent than under the previous fixed base methodology which led to large revisions every five years.

  3. Annual chain-linking reduces the inaccuracies caused by the assumption of a stable relationship between gross value added and turnover.

  4. Under the previous fixed-base methodology where weights were updated every five years, the choice of year to link indices together was a subjective process and the optimum link year varied across indices. With chain-linking, every year is automatically a link year, so no subjective choice is required.

  A more detailed report on the new chain-linking methodology and its effects is included on the Scottish Executive GDP website at www.scotland.gov.uk/gdp.

Employment

Marlyn Glen (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what information is available from census returns on the number and percentage of people in Scotland working from home and, of these, how many are working in information technology-related jobs.

Hugh Henry: Results from the 2001 Census show that 2,163,035 persons were in employment the week before the Census who were not full-time students. Some 123,454 (5.7%) recorded that they were working mainly at or from home.

  Of these, 2,150 (1.7%) were working in information technology-related jobs.

Energy

Maureen Macmillan (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will make an announcement on the proposal to build a 3.5 megawatt hydroelectric generating station at Shieldaig/Slattadale, Wester Ross.

Lewis Macdonald: I can announce that the Scottish ministers have refused consent to this proposal in terms of section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989.

  This announcement follows a lengthy consultation process which involved environmental groups, government bodies and members of the public.

Environment

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many individuals have been (a) prosecuted for and (b) convicted of (i) dropping litter and (ii) fly tipping in 2002 and 2003, broken down by local authority area.

Allan Wilson: The available information is given in the table. Data for 2003 are not expected to be available until the autumn of 2004.

  Persons Proceeded Against in Scottish Courts Where The Main Offence Was a Litter or Fly-Tipping Offence, by Local Authority Area 2002

  

 Local Authority 
  Area
 Total(1)
 Number 
  with Charge Proved


 Litter 
  Offence(2)
 Fly-tipping 
  Offence(3)
 Litter 
  Offence(2)
 Fly-Tipping 
  Offence(3)


 Aberdeen
 0
 1
 0
 1


 Angus
 0
 1
 0
 1


 Dundee City
 8
 0
 7
 0


 East Ayrshire
 1
 0
 1
 0


 East Dunbartonshire
 2
 0
 2
 0


 Edinburgh, City of
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Glasgow City
 2
 0
 2
 0


 Highland
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Inverclyde
 3
 0
 3
 0


 Moray
 0
 1
 0
 1


 North Ayrshire
 1
 0
 1
 0


 North Lanarkshire
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Renfrewshire
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Scottish Borders
 1
 0
 1
 0


 Shetland Islands
 0
 1
 0
 1


 South Ayrshire
 1
 1
 1
 1


 South Lanarkshire
 7
 1
 7
 1


 Stirling
 2
 0
 2
 0


 West Lothian
 0
 1
 0
 1


 Total
 32
 7
 31
 7



  Notes:

  1. Number of persons acquitted may be under-stated in the totals for persons proceeded against due to recording delays.

  2. Offences categorised as litter offences in the Scottish Executive Justice Department’s classification of crimes and offences.

  3. Offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 section 33.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on what legal basis it makes the statement that "the European Union passes laws", as contained in the Scottish Executive’s European Strategy.

Mr Andy Kerr: The European Union makes laws under Articles 249 to 256 of the Treaty establishing the European Community.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, what methodology it used to arrive at the conclusion that "over three-quarters of the work of the Scottish Executive and Scottish Parliament is, to a greater or lesser extent, influenced by decisions taken in Brussels", as stated in Scottish Executive’s European Strategy.

Mr Andy Kerr: This figure is a broad estimate of the extent to which different policy groups in the Scottish Executive are influenced or affected by EU decisions. It was calculated by examining the various devolved responsibilities of the Executive and Parliament and determining which were influenced, to a greater or lesser extent, by decisions taken in Brussels.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what methodology it used to arrive at the conclusion that "Scotland is now firmly established as a leading legislative region in Europe", as stated in Scottish Executive’s European Strategy.

Mr Andy Kerr: Scotland is a founding member of European Group of Regions with Legislative Powers, the group of EU regions with legislative powers. The First Minister is currently President of this group of powerful regions, which view Scotland as a valued and influential partner.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the membership of the Ministerial Group on European Strategy is; how many times the group has met; what issues were discussed, and whether it has any plans to publish the minutes of such meetings.

Mr Andy Kerr: The ad hoc Group of Ministers on European Strategy has now concluded its work and reported its recommendations to the Cabinet. The members were:

  First Minister (chair);

  Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise;

  Minister for Finance and Public Services;

  Minister for Parliamentary Business;

  Minister for Environment and Rural Development;

  Minister for Justice;

  Minister for Transport;

  Lord Advocate; and

  Deputy Minister for Finance, Public Services and Parliamentary Business.

  The group met four times - on 25 June, 13 and 27 August, and 24 September 2003.

  The group discussed a range of issues within its remit including:

  the Future of Europe Convention and the Intergovernmental Conference;

  UK Relations;

  strategic EU Issues;

  engaging with the Scottish Parliament; and

  the Executive’s EU links strategy.

  As indicated in the Guide to Collective Decision Making, a copy of which is available on the Scottish Executive website, the Executive operates on the basis of collective responsibility and does not disclose details of the internal processes through which decisions have been made.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, what methodology it used to arrive at the conclusion that its European strategy is "ambitious and demanding".

Mr Andy Kerr: The statement is self-explanatory.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps each of its agencies and non-departmental public bodies have taken to implement the objectives of its European strategy.

Mr Andy Kerr: Implementing the European Strategy is an on-going process on which I have already undertaken to report to the European and External Relations Committee twice a year.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the reasons are for promoting Scotland "as one of the leading regions in the EU", as stated in the Scottish Executive’s European Strategy, rather than as a nation state.

Mr Andy Kerr: Under the Treaty establishing the European Community, the United Kingdom is a member state of the European Union. Scotland is not a member state. The Treaty does not refer to nation states; it does refer to regions.

Europe

Mrs Margaret Ewing (Moray) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considered promoting Scotland as the leading region in the European Union, as part of its European strategy.

Mr Andy Kerr: No. Scotland works closely with a number of leading regions across Europe.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5869 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004, whether the increase of £305,986 between 2002 and 2003 of the gross ingredient cost of methylphenidate hydrochloride was solely due to the introduction of Concerta XL; what the total cost of Concerta XL has been since its introduction, and how many prescriptions of Concerta XL have been issued.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the number of prescribed items and gross ingredient cost for Concerta XL® and all other forms of methylphenidate hydrochloride (Ritalin®, Equasym®, Tranquilyn®) for the financial years ending 31 March 2002 and 2003. No changes in pack prices occurred during that period therefore it would appear that the increase in costs is attributable to greater use of the modified release preparation Concerta XL®.

  

 
 No 
  of prescribed items
 Gross 
  ingredient cost £


 
 2002
 2003
 2002
 2003


 Concerta XL®
 46
 7,507
 2,723
 359,358


 All other forms of methylphenidate hydrochloride
 24,840
 22,769
 477,819
 427,170


 Total
 24,886
 30,276
 480,542
 786,528



  The cost given is that before addition of any pharmacy fees and deduction of any discount and patient charges. Data in the table refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

  The information in the table has been provided by ISD.

Health

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5869 by Malcolm Chisholm on 10 February 2004, (a) what the total cost was and (b) how many prescriptions were issued for (i) Ritalin, (ii) Equasym and (iii) Tranquilyn, in (1) 2002 and (2) 2003.

Malcolm Chisholm: The following table shows the number of items and gross ingredient cost by dispensed name for Ritalin®, Equasym® and Tranquilyn® as well as the generic form of methylphenidate hydrochloride (if a prescription is written generically it is recorded as such) in the financial years ending 31 March 2002 and 2003.The cost given is that before addition of any pharmacy fees and deduction of any discount and patient charges. Data in the table refer to prescriptions dispensed by community pharmacists and dispensing doctors, but do not take into account medicines dispensed by hospitals or hospital based clinics.

  

 Dispensed Name
 No 
  of Prescribed Items
 Gross 
  Ingredient Cost £


 
 2002
 2003
 2002
 2003


 Ritalin®
 20,753
 16,624
 424,598
 346,198


 Equasym®
 1,840
 5,205
 29,349
 71,032


 Tranquilyn®
 0
 99
 0
 1,414


 Methylphenidate hydrochloride
 2,247
 841
 23,872
 8,526


 Total
 24,840
 22,769
 477,819
 427,170



  The information in the table has been provided by ISD.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Health Technology Assessment Advice 5, what percentage of pregnant women currently receive their first trimester scan within the recommended deadline of 13 weeks, broken down by NHS board.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not held centrally.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S1W-15033 by Malcolm Chisholm on 2 May 2001, what level of funding has been allocated for the provision of needle exchange facilities in (a) 2001-02, (b) 2002-03 and (c) 2003-04 to date.

Malcolm Chisholm: As explained in the answer given to question S1W-15033 on 2 May 2001, we do not allocate funding specifically for needle exchange facilities. The table sets out funding specifically allocated to NHS boards to support work to prevent transmission of blood-borne viruses. It is open to NHS boards to use these resources for the provision of needle exchange services in accordance with local needs and priorities.

  

 
 2001-02
£
 2002-03
£
 2003-04
£


 Argyll and Clyde
 415,922
 415,922
 415,922


 Ayrshire and Arran
 370,000
 350,000
 350,000


 Borders
 116,498
 115,498
 115,498


 Dumfries and Galloway
 116,804
 115,804
 115,804


 Fife
 408,062
 408,061
 408,061


 Forth Valley
 276,705
 276,075
 276,075


 Grampian
 690,825
 690,825
 690,825


 Greater Glasgow
 1,555,208
 1,560,208
 1,560,208


 Highland
 200,197
 200,197
 200,197


 Lanarkshire
 441,775
 441,775
 441,775


 Lothian
 2,505,627
 2,524,627
 2,524,627


 Orkney
 39,000
 36,000
 36,000


 Shetland
 56,000
 55,000
 55,000


 Tayside
 854,377
 861,377
 861,377


 Western Isles
 48,000
 47,000
 47,000


 State Hospital
 24,000
 20,000
 20.000


 Scotland Total
 8,119,000
 8,119,000
 8,119,000



  We have also allocated an additional £13.3 million to NHS boards over the years 2001-02 to 2003-04 to support treatment services for drug misusers. These services include needle exchange facilities.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps have been taken to increase the number of needles and syringes available for distribution for intravenous drug users, given that one million needles were distributed in Greater Glasgow last year where an estimated seven to 12 million were needed, as referred to in Issue 172 of the Scottish Drugs Forum Bulletin.

Malcolm Chisholm: In December 2002, we informed drugs services that the Lord Advocate had set new limits on the number of needles and syringes which could be issued to clients attending needle exchanges. The limits were increased to a maximum of 20 sets on first visit, and a maximum of 60 sets on subsequent visits, subject to return of used sets for safe disposal.

  It is for local services to purchase and distribute this equipment, based on local priorities and demand. Allocations of injecting equipment to individual clients will depend on the needs and circumstances in each case. The answer given to question S2W-6704 on 16 March 2004 describes the resources made available from the Executive which can be used to support local needle exchange facilities.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

Health

Mr Kenneth Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what action has been taken, or is proposed, following the announcement on 18 December 2003 about the blood transfusion incident involving variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease.

Malcolm Chisholm: I will make a statement to Parliament on this tomorrow.

Higher Education

Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will make representations to the Chancellor of the Exchequer to exempt founders of university spin-out and start-up companies from the need to pay tax and national insurance up front on share options in such companies.

Mr Jim Wallace: Officials have been keeping closely in touch with Universities Scotland on this issue, and we shall consider making representations, should the sector advise us to do so.

Higher Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of students at each higher education institution in Scotland is domiciled outwith the United Kingdom and what this percentage is for the whole of Scotland.

Mr Jim Wallace: The percentages of students domiciled outwith the United Kingdom, at each higher education institution in Scotland, in 2001-02, are presented in the following table:

  Higher Education Students at Higher Education Institutions in Scotland, 2001-02

  

 
 % Non UK Domicile
 Non UK Domicile
 All Domicile


 University of Abertay Dundee
 13.2
 611
 4,617


 Edinburgh College of Art
 17.2
 297
 1,731


 Glasgow School of Art
 14.9
 215
 1,442


 Queen Margaret College
 16.3
 722
 4,416


 The Royal Scottish Academy of Music and 
  Drama
 9.9
 66
 666


 The Robert Gordon University
 11.7
 1,311
 11,250


 The University of Paisley
 5.4
 579
 10,794


 Glasgow Caledonian University
 3.7
 559
 15,170


 Napier University
 9.8
 1,323
 13,568


 The University of Edinburgh
 14.8
 3,659
 24,667


 The University of Glasgow
 6.9
 1,627
 23,510


 The University of Strathclyde
 14.0
 3,197
 22,775


 The University of Aberdeen
 13.9
 1,905
 13,753


 Heriot-Watt University 1
 65.9
 11,648
 17,677


 The University of Dundee
 13.1
 2,043
 15,584


 The University of St Andrews
 24.9
 1,890
 7,576


 The University of Stirling
 8.7
 759
 8,751


 Scottish Agricultural College
 3.8
 27
 712


 UHI Millennium Institute
 0.7
 42
 5,922


 Bell College
 0.5
 20
 3,957


 Scotland
 15.6
 32,500
 208,538



  Source: Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA)

  Note:

  1. Heriot Watt University has a high enrolment of distance learning students with 88% of non-UK domiciled students being distance learners.

Higher Education

Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what subsidy it provides in the current year to higher education institutions for students from (a) Scotland, (b) other parts of the United Kingdom and (c) other parts of the European Union.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Scottish Executive provides funding to higher education institutions through the Scottish Higher Education Funding Council. The Funding Council allocates funding to institutions and not in support of individual students.

  The Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) pays a tuition fee contribution (£1,125 in 2003-04) on behalf of all eligible Scottish domiciled and EU students undertaking full-time higher education courses in Scotland. SAAS also makes a means-tested contribution up to that amount for Scottish domiciled students on full-time higher education courses elsewhere in the UK. A limited number of Scottish domiciled and EU students undertaking taught post-graduate level courses in Scotland will have a fee contribution of £2,940 made on their behalf by SAAS.

Highlands and Islands

Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it expects the Highlands and Islands to be eligible for the proposed Objective 1b European regional development fund or whether they will be only eligible for Objective 2 and 3 funding.

Lewis Macdonald: The European Commission’s Third Report on Economic and Social Cohesion, published on 18 February, outlines their proposals for the Structural and Cohesion Funds in the next programming period from 2007-13.

  The Commission proposes that regions which would have qualified for Objective 1 had it not been for the statistical effect of enlargement would be eligible for compensation funding. Eligible regions would have an average GDP for 2001-03 of less than 75% of the EU15 average. The most recent data available (for 2001) shows the Highlands and Islands GDP as 72.4% of the EU15 average.

  The debate is at an early stage. The Commission is expected to publish formal regulation proposals in July for negotiation among member states. It is hoped that agreement on the proposals can be reached in the Council of Ministers by the end of 2005. As any future regime must be agreed by all member states, it is not yet possible to predict what structural funds support the Highlands and Islands or other Scottish regions may receive post 2006.

Homelessness

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S2W-5973 and S2W-5975 by Ms Margaret Curran on 1 March 2004, what steps will be taken in the short term to ensure that homeless people in East Lothian receive adequate services whilst East Lothian Council produces its improvement plan and during implementation of the plan once approved by Communities Scotland.

Ms Margaret Curran: I have asked Angiolina Foster, Chief Executive of Communities Scotland, to respond. Her response is as follows:

  Scottish Ministers acting through Communities Scotland now require East Lothian Council to take action to ensure that homeless people in its area receive adequate services. The council’s improvement plan, setting out how it will respond to the findings of the Pathfinder Inspection Report is due to be submitted on 17 March 2004.

  Communities Scotland expects this to contain immediate, short term and longer term actions to progress improvements. The agency will then agree arrangements with the local authority for monitoring the implementation of the plan to ensure that the necessary improvements in the services for homeless people and those threatened with homelessness are achieved. Performance in this area will be reassessed within two years and a full re-inspection of the local authority will be carried out within five years.

Housing

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether Ayrshire North Community Housing Association Ltd has an obligation to consult its owner-occupiers before imposing an estate management fee.

Ms Margaret Curran: No, there is simply an obligation on the feu superior to ensure that the charges are reasonable.

Justice

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many offences under the Data Protection Act 1998 have been processed through the courts since 2001.

Cathy Jamieson: The available statistics show that one person was convicted in 2002 in a Scottish court where the main offence was under the Data Protection Act 1998. Statistics for 2003 are not yet available.

Justice

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many court actions over child contact and residence took place in (a) 2002 and (b) 2003, stating what the total legal aid bill was for such cases and how the legal aid bill was distributed between (i) parents with and parents without residence and (ii) mothers and fathers.

Cathy Jamieson: In 2002 there were 1,138 court actions for child contact and residence in the Sheriff Court. There were also 6,422 divorce actions some of which may have included applications for contact or residence. In the Court of Session there were 68 "Family Actions" raised and six "Husband-Wife" cases which did not include divorce but may have included applications for contact or residence.

  In 2003 there were 989 court actions for child contact and residence in the Sheriff Court. There were also 6,126 divorce actions some of which may have included applications for contact or residence some of which may have included applications for contact or residence. In the Court of Session there 66 "Family Actions" and 6"Husband/Wife" cases which did not include divorce but may have included applications for contact or residence.

  As many applications for child contact and residence are integral to other court actions, such as divorce, it is not possible to separately identify the legal aid costs of such applications.

Justice

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the average time was for the preparation of social enquiry reports requested by the courts in each local authority in each of the last three years and how many such requests (a) were processed in each of the last three years and (b) are currently outstanding in each local authority.

Hugh Henry: Section 201(3) of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995 (as amended by section 67 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 2003) specifies maximum periods for adjournment for the preparation of social enquiry reports. Information on the numbers of SERs expressed as a percentage submitted on time and broken down by local authority is available on the Audit Scotland website, pages 97-98, at the following address:

  http://www.audit-Scotland.gov.uk/performance/documents/2003Report/servicespdf/SW.pdf. Information on the number of social enquiry reports (SERs) by local authority is published in Table 4 of statistical bulletin "Criminal Justice Social Work Statistics, 2002-03" (Bib. number 30274). Information on outstanding reports is not held centrally.

Justice

Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the report of the Summary Justice Review Committee will be published.

Cathy Jamieson: I am pleased to announce that the report of the Summary Justice Review Committee will be published today.

  I am most grateful to the chair and members of the Summary Justice Review Committee for their thorough and detailed report. Before the Executive decides what action to take on the committee’s recommendations we will hold a period of open consultation - to obtain the views of those organisations and individuals with an involvement or interest in the criminal justice system. Views from members of the public will also be welcomed.

  We are today writing to all the key stakeholders (including the justice committees) with copies of the report, inviting their comments. I am also inviting comments from all those individuals and groups who responded to the committee’s earlier requests for views. The report will be available electronically on the Scottish Executive’s consultation website, and we are lodging copies in the Parliament’s reference centre. Responses can be submitted by e-mail or post.

Local Government Elections

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many votes were cast and how many spoilt ballots papers there were in each local authority election since unitary local authorities were created in 1996.

Tavish Scott: Information is not collected on the number of spoilt ballot papers at local government elections.

Local Government Finance

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-2941 by Tavish Scott on 9 October 2003 and to section 4, page 46 of A Partnership for a Better Scotland regarding an independent review of local government finance, whether the discussions with COSLA have been concluded; if so, what the timing, remit and format of the review will be and when the conclusions will be published, and, if not, when such discussions will be concluded.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are working with COSLA on this and giving further consideration to the detailed scope and remit of the review, including when the review should report its conclusions. I expect to announce more details in the near future.

Local Government Finance

Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West) (Ind): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to reach a conclusion in respect of its review of local government finance.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are working with COSLA on this and giving further consideration to the detailed scope and remit of the review, including when the review should report its conclusions. I expect to announce more details in the near future.

Local Government Finance

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what proposals it has to make charging for council services more equitable for home owners.

Mr Andy Kerr: We are committed to an independent review of local government finance. We are working with COSLA on the timing, detailed scope and remit of the review.

Local Government Finance

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1438 by Tavish Scott on 31 July 2003, how much (a) mandatory and (b) discretionary relief was provided to businesses in 2002-03, broken down by local authority area.

Tavish Scott: Notified figures for 2002-03 are provided in the following table. The final audited figures for 2002-03 are not yet available, with seven returns from local authority auditors outstanding. Updated mandatory and discretionary relief provided by each authority for 2001-02 is also provided in the following table.

  

 Local Authority
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Mandatory
 Discretionary
 Mandatory
 Discretionary


 Aberdeen City
 15,114,699
 450,521
 15,729,961
 466,739


 Aberdeenshire
 4,258,192
 1,096,701
 4,311,822
 1,151,225


 Angus
 2,941,267
 366,186
 2,064,549
 397,002


 Argyll and Bute
 2,657,965
 708,806
 2,772,019
 687,020


 Clackmannanshire
 1,540,410
 95,699
 1,607,194
 108,347


 Dumfries and Galloway
 3,207,808
 2,455,708
 3,080,743
 720,820


 Dundee City
 6,935,138
 386,695
 7,108,110
 402,382


 East Ayrshire
 3,056,638
 256,565
 3,353,083
 230,799


 East Dunbartonshire
 2,242,835
 394,509
 2,107,686
 394,199


 East Lothian
 2,569,005
 578,525
 2,601,655
 608,338


 East Renfrewshire
 1,703,534
 242,909
 1,940,472
 246,658


 Edinburgh, City of
 33,893,083
 1,317,072
 36,217,591
 1,426,862


 Eilean Siar
 1,136,602
 205,115
 1,245,793
 212,442


 Falkirk
 4,187,703
 206,148
 4,466,600
 224,766


 Fife
 12,789,488
 566,131
 13,772,724
 616,285


 Glasgow City
 36,262,296
 1,788,959
 42,488,955
 1,962,955


 Highland
 8,307,167
 1,628,100
 9,208,924
 1,401,990


 Inverclyde
 3,102,866
 260,964
 3,431,485
 288,300


 Midlothian
 3,159,031
 305,641
 3,388,751
 319,343


 Moray
 1,765,172
 379,980
 1,855,876
 423,636


 North Ayrshire
 4,642,893
 480,554
 5,341,530
 509,289


 North Lanarkshire
 8,773,963
 450,302
 10,435,883
 513,327


 Orkney
 481,582
 208,917
 499,848
 205,060


 Perth and Kinross
 4,215,487
 757,915
 3,994,523
 764,661


 Renfrewshire
 7,083,191
 350,394
 8,588,017
 383,801


 Scottish Borders
 3,131,441
 1,390,394
 3,204,536
 484,657


 Shetland
 1,848,117
 401,842
 2,037,978
 413,308


 South Ayrshire
 4,270,338
 325,710
 4,377,503
 329,680


 South Lanarkshire
 9,215,901
 663,131
 11,102,586
 869,377


 Stirling
 3,596,802
 520,253
 3,878,357
 543,915


 West Dunbartonshire
 3,462,681
 148,376
 4,139,702
 188,661


 West Lothian
 6,644,470
 465,984
 9,769,901
 475,024


 Scotland
 208,197,765
 19,854,706
 230,124,357
 17,970,868

Maternity Services

Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, with reference to Health Technology Assessment Advice 5, what steps will be taken to commission ethically approved research (a) into the effectiveness of nuchal translucency measurement for detecting structural abnormalities in foetuses, (b) to evaluate whether soft markers and other markers which may be associated with aneuploidy can be used in combination with results of other screening tests to assess the risk of chromosomal abnormalities and (c) to determine the most appropriate content and format of information on risks and benefits of scans and the most effective process for giving this information to pregnant women.

Malcolm Chisholm: The Scottish Executive is provided with advice from the National Screening Committee (NSC) on the introduction of new population screening programmes, the modification or withdrawal of existing programmes and the quality and management of such programmes.

  The Antenatal screening sub group of the NSC has been fully informed about this Report and will be considering the findings to help inform discussions around the advice the committee may offer to the 4 UK health departments. As part of their considerations the NSC will look at the research aspects mentioned. If they consider further research is required NSC will take forward the commissioning of research.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many incidences there were of poor performance, as referred to in the consultation document Safer for Patients, Supportive for Professionals, in the NHS in each year for which figures are available and, of these, how many incidences were deliberate or pre-meditated.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not currently centrally collected.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions External Clinical Assessment Teams have been called in in each year since 1999.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is collected by the individual health boards and is not currently centrally collected.

National Health Service

Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many doctors who work in Scotland have been reported to the General Medical Council for poor performance in each year since 1999 and the outcome of each reported case.

Malcolm Chisholm: This information is not centrally held.

Non-Domestic Rates

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1101 by Mr Andy Kerr on 3 July 2003, what the administrative cost of collecting non-domestic rates has been in 2003-04, broken down by local authority area.

Mr Andy Kerr: The following table provides budget estimates of total expenditure on collection of non-domestic rate income for each authority for 2003-04, and is the most up-to-date information that we hold on local authority expenditure.

  

 Local Authority
 £000’s


 Aberdeen, City
 217


 Aberdeenshire
 185


 Angus
 150


 Argyll and Bute
 118


 Clackmannanshire
 75


 Dumfries and Galloway
 333


 Dundee
 252


 East Ayrshire
 132


 East Dunbartonshire
 65


 East Lothian
 122


 East Renfrewshire
 97


 Edinburgh, City
 131


 Eilean Siar
 120


 Falkirk
 246


 Fife
 339


 Glasgow
 890


 Highland
 263


 Inverclyde
 86


 Midlothian
 182


 Moray
 110


 North Ayrshire
 89


 North Lanarkshire
 206


 Orkney
 18


 Perth and Kinross
 197


 Renfrewshire
 118


 Scottish Borders
 59


 Shetland
 112


 South Ayrshire
 133


 South Lanarkshire
 644


 Stirling
 169


 West Dunbartonshire
 169


 West Lothian
 110


 Scotland
 6,160

Office Of Fair Trading

Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive on how many occasions it has received representations from the Office of Fair Trading since 1999 regarding (a) the contents and effectiveness of the Master Insurance Policy of the Law Society of Scotland and (b) the provision of legal services in Scotland and, if it has received such representations, what concerns, if any, were expressed by the Office of Fair Trading.

Cathy Jamieson: We have received no representations from the Office of Fair Trading on the contents and effectiveness of the Master Insurance Policy of the Law Society of Scotland.

  As regards the provision of legal services, the Office of Fair Trading published a report in 2001 Competition in Professions which challenged anti-competitive restrictions in England and Wales. The report triggered a range of consultation by the former Lord Chancellor’s Department which led to the far-ranging independent review of the regulation of the legal services market in England and Wales, led by Sir David Clementi, of which competition in the provision of legal services is a significant element.

  The Scottish Executive has been in regular contact with the Office of Fair Trading about the implications of competition law for the provision of legal services in Scotland. Regulation and competition in the legal services market in Scotland is to be the subject of research steered by a working group chaired by the Justice Department and including representatives of consumer and professional interests, the Office of Fair Trading and the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

People with Disabilities

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what information it has on how many disabled people have accessed the internet in Scotland.

Mr Andy Kerr: From the 2002 Scottish Household Survey, it is estimated that 17% of adults with a long-standing limiting illness, health problem or disability, access the internet for their personal use (as opposed to their work-related use).

  Of those adults with a long-standing limiting illness, health problem or disability who access the internet for their personal use, 88% do so from their own home.

People with Disabilities

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it plans to increase the use of the internet amongst disabled people.

John Farquhar Munro (Ross, Skye and Inverness West) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to ensure that disabled people in (a) Scotland and (b) the highlands and islands have the necessary information and communication technology skills for the modern workplace.

Mr Andy Kerr: Disability is just one factor which puts people at risk of exclusion. We are taking a number of measures to ensure that all those potentially at risk have access to the necessary communication technology skills and opportunities.

  For example, as part of a £1 million funding programme for projects that benefit disabled people, we are providing £200,000 to the DARE (Disability and Rehabilitation Education) Foundation to fund projects for transition into supported education and employment, and £206,000 to LEAD (Linking Education and Disability) Scotland for the provision of specialist ICT equipment and support to assist disabled people access distance learning courses to improve their skills and their employability.

Planning

Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many local authority planning applications seeking planning permission for development on green belt areas it has called in in (a) 1999, (b) 2000, (c) 2001, (d) 2002, (e) 2003 and (d) 2004, showing how many applications it approved in each year.

Mrs Mary Mulligan: This information is not held centrally and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Ports and Harbours

Mr Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will respond to the representations made regarding the safety reasons for adding Wick harbour to the list of designated landing ports.

Allan Wilson: I have agreed to add Wick to the list of ports designated for haddock landings. The necessary arrangements and changes to fishing vessel licence conditions will be made as soon as possible.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of budgetary provision in Scotland’s prisons, what flexibility there is in the system to allow a single establishment to increase the amount spent on education services commensurate with an increase in inmate (a) population or (b) participation in education.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows

  Such decisions would be taken centrally taking account of (a) or (b), but also such matters as competing demands and budgetary considerations.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the total budget has been for education in each prison in each of the last five years, shown also per head of prison population.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of The Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to respond. His response is as follows:

  Total budgets are not available for each prison but are determined centrally and figures are only available from 2000-01, when £1.6 million was spent. Total SPS expenditure in the succeeding years was £2.0 million in 2001-02 and £2.3 million in 2002-03.

Prison Service

Roseanna Cunningham (Perth) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, in respect of budgetary provision in Scotland’s prisons, what factors are involved in the calculation of education funding for each prison.

Cathy Jamieson: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of The Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  They are the outcome of the contractual negotiations with SPS’s education providers over the five year period of the contracts which take into account such factors as basic skills assessment, individual learning plans or the prisoner learning that can be afforded.

Scottish Executive Legislation

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often it has had recourse to section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 since May 1999, broken down by department and title of legislation.

Mr Andy Kerr: From the information held centrally, Section 57(1) of the Scotland Act 1998 has been used to implement European Community obligations 17 times since May 1999. This is broken down by department, year of transposition and title of legislation below:

  Environment and Rural Affairs Department:

  1999:

  The Feeding Stuffs (Enforcement) Regulations 1999 (SI 1999/2325) which implemented Council Directive 95/53/EC, Commission Directive 98/68/EC and, in part, Council Directive 1999/20/EC

  2000:

  The Sea Fishing (North-East Atlantic Control Measures) Order 2000 (SI 2000/1843) which implemented Council Regulation 2791/1999

  2001:

  The Export Restrictions (Foot-and-Mouth Disease) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/498) which implemented the European Union ban on exports immediately following the outbreak of food-and-mouth disease (initially Commission Decision 2001/145/EC).

  The Export Restrictions (Food-and-Mouth Disease) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/627) which extended by one day the above regulations without further amendment.

  The Foot-and-Mouth Disease (Export of Vehicles) (Disinfection of Tyres) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/887) which implemented another part of the European Union export ban.

  The Biocidal Products Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/880) which implemented Directive 1998/8/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning the placing of Biocidal Products on the market.

  The Environmental Protection (Controls of Injurious Substances) (Amendment) Regulations 2001 (SI 2001/3141) which implemented, in part, Commission Directive 1999/51/EC adapting to technical progress for the fifth time Annex 1 to Council Directive 76/769/EEC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to restrictions on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (tin, PCP and cadmium).

  2002:

  The Ozone Depleting Substances Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/528) which implemented Regulation 2037/2000 of the European Parliament and of the Council on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

  The Hemp (Third Country Imports) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/787) which implemented Regulation 245/2001.

  The Forest Reproductive Material (Great Britain) Regulation 2002 (SI 2002/3026) which implemented Council Directive 1999/105/EC on the marketing of forest reproductive material.

  The Chemicals (Hazard Information & Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/1689) which implemented Council Directive 1999/45/EC concerning the dangerous preparations directive; Commission Directive 2001/58/EC on the 2nd amendment to the safety data sheets directive; Commission Directive 2001/59/EC on the 28th adaptation to technical progress of the substances directive and; Commission Directive 2001/60/EC on the 1st adaptation to technical progress of the preparations directive.

  The National Emission Ceilings Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/3118) which implemented Council Directive 2001/81/EC on national emission ceilings for certain atmospheric pollutants.

  2003:

  The End-of-Life Vehicles Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/2635) which partially implemented Directive 2001/53/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council on the end-of-life vehicles.

  The Environmental Protection (Controls on Hexachloroethane) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/602) which implemented Council Directive 2001/91/EC on the approximation of the laws, regulations and administrative provisions of the member states relating to restriction on the marketing and use of certain dangerous substances and preparations (hexachloroethane).

  The Controls of Certain Azo Dyes & "Blue Colourants" Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/3310) which implemented Directive 2003/3/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council which placed restrictions on the marketing and use of "blue colourants".

  The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading Scheme Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/3311) which implemented Directive 2003/87/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community.

  Finance and Central Services Department:

  2003:

  The Public Contracts (Work, Services and Supply) & Utilities Contracts (Amendment) Regulations 2003 (SI 2003/46) which implemented Council Directive 2001/78/EC on the use of standard forms in the publication of contract notices.

Scottish Executive Staff

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it takes measures to ensure that staff involved in drafting legislation are not members of organisations with an interest in the legislation and, in particular, whether it would ensure that staff involved in the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill are not members of any such organisations, such as the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Mr Andy Kerr: The Civil Service Code requires civil servants, regardless of their personal interests, to give impartial and honest advice to ministers. Policy decisions, including the content of legislative proposals such as the Nature Conservation (Scotland) Bill, are ultimately a matter for ministers, rather than civil servants, and ministers are accountable to Parliament for the decisions they make.

Scottish Opera

Shiona Baird (North East Scotland) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional resources have been allocated to Scottish Opera to help fulfil the First Minister’s commitment to place culture at the heart of the Executive’s agenda.

Mr Frank McAveety: The budget allocation for Scottish Opera for 2003-06 was set by the Scottish Arts Council following the 2002 Spending Review. That remains unaltered. Scottish Opera must operate within the level of resource that is available to it.

Scottish Water

Mr Stewart Maxwell (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-5706 by Allan Wilson on 12 February 2004, why the cost to charities of the withdrawal of relief on water and wastewater charges for 2002-03 and 2003-04 is an operational matter for Scottish Water, given that such information was provided in the answer to question S1W-10849.

Allan Wilson: For the record and avoidance of doubt, question S1W-10849 was answered on 8 February 2001 in respect of Scottish Water’s three predecessor authorities. These authorities remained in existence until 1 April 2002 on which date their functions transferred to Scottish Water under the Water Industry (Scotland) Act 2002.

  All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at:

  http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search.

  The arrangements for answering questions from MSPs reflect the respective roles of ministers and of the board and chief executive of Scottish Water. Ministers provide substantive answers to questions on matters of policy. It is for the chief executives of public bodies such as Scottish Water to respond to enquiries relating to operational matters. Scottish Water has established procedures for handling such enquiries.

Standards Commission for Scotland

Mr Bruce McFee (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how often the Standards Commission for Scotland has met COSLA and what issues have been discussed at each meeting.

Tavish Scott: That is a matter for the Standards Commission for Scotland. This information is not held centrally.

Transport

Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it has received in favour of the implementation of a public service obligation for transport to and from Shetland.

Nicol Stephen: One of the commitments in the partnership agreement is to fully evaluate the proposals by the Highlands and Islands Strategic Transport Partnership (HITRANS) for an air network in the Highlands and Islands using Public Service Obligations (PSOs). HITRANS represents a number of local councils, including Shetland, all of whom are supportive of the PSO proposals.

Unemployment

Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive the unemployment rate in Fife has been in each of the last five years.

Mr Jim Wallace: Table 1 shows the unemployment rate, based on the International Labour Organisation (ILO) definition of unemployment, in Fife since 1999. Prior to 1999, unemployment rates were not available for Fife. 2002 is the latest year for which information is available.

  Table 1

  

 
 Unemployment 
  Rate


 1999
 8.4%


 2000
 6.4%


 2001
 8.3%


 2002
 8.2%



  The data used in these figures is taken form the Labour Force Survey (LFS) which is carried out by the Office for National Statistics. For smaller geographical areas, the data becomes less reliable because there are less people sampled.

  The sample sizes over the last four years for those unemployed in Fife are not too different, but a slight drop in the numbers sampled in 2000 with a corresponding rise in the number of employed people sampled means that the unemployment rate appears to have dropped.

  The claimant count rate shown in Table 2 is based on administrative records and has not fluctuated as much. Therefore, the drop in the 2000 unemployment figure in Table 1 is more than likely due to sampling error rather than a real change.

  Table 2 shows the annual average residence-based claimant count rate for Fife in the last five years. 2003 is the latest year for which information is available.

  Table 2

  

 
 Claimant 
  Count Rate


 1999
 5.9%


 2000
 5.0%


 2001
 4.9%


 2002
 5.0%


 2003
 4.7%



  The Executive is currently commissioning the Office for National Statistics to carry out a boost to the Labour Force Survey in Scotland with an aim of surveying 875 economical active people in each local authority area. (The target will be lower for some of the smaller local authorities). In Fife, this means that more economically active people will be sampled. This should improve the reliability of the Labour Force Survey at a local level. Results from the boost should be available in autumn 2004.

Water and Sewerage Services

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how much will be invested in water and sewerage infrastructure in 2003-04.

Allan Wilson: Current forecasts suggest that Scottish Water expects to invest a total of £380 million in water and sewerage infrastructure in 2003-04.